Western Blot in Clinical Medicine
The confirmatory HIV test employs a Western blot to detect anti-HIV antibody in a
human serum sample. Proteins from known HIV-infected cells are separated and
blotted on a membrane then, the serum to be tested is applied in the primary antibody
incubation step; free antibody is washed away, and a secondary anti-human antibody
linked to an enzyme signal is added . The stained bands then indicate the proteins to
which the patient’s serum contains antibody.
A western blot is also used as the definitive test for Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE, commonly referred to as ‘mad cow disease’)
Some forms of Lyme disease testing employ Western Blotting.